Disposable safety razors have been available for some time. The most commercially successful disposable razors are plastic, injection-molded devices. While such disposable razors generally provide satisfactory shaving performance, these devices do exhibit several disadvantages. For example, the design of each razor is relatively complex and includes several interlocking pieces such as the handle, razor head and blade guard, which must be molded separately and assembled along with a blade. This adds to the expense of the product.
In addition, the injection molding process itself has several drawbacks. The equipment needed for injection molding is quite costly and requires a considerable degree of upkeep and maintenance. This is particularly true when considering the small tolerances needed to efficiently mass produce an injection-molded razor. Moreover, the process of injecting and hardening a plastic in a mold takes time, and production is limited further by the number and complexity of the molds. Finally, post-injection molding processes which include trimming, flashing and degating add further time constraints and expense to the manufacturing process.
In addition to the disadvantages of injection molding, currently available disposable razors are no more compact for efficient storage during shipping and travel than standard, reusable safety razors.
One method of making disposable razors more compact for storage has been the design of foldable-type razors. Despite numerous attempts to design such a foldable disposable razor, each such design has been flawed to the extent that no design has achieved any notable commercial success.
The flaws of these foldable-type disposable razors generally fall into three categories. Many of these devices are simply too pliable to maintain the precise shaving head angle needed for safe and effective use. In an effort to provide the proper shaving head angle, many of these devices add a degree of complexity which includes the introduction of several parts and even resort to the use of injection molded components as supporting means about the blade area. Of course, these measures add considerably to the cost of manufacturing the product.
Secondly, adhering the blade in a stationary position so it will not shift during use is a problem. In many of these devices, this is accomplished through use of a separate, external connecting means such as staples or pins. Again, such additional components can add considerably to the cost of such devices.
Lastly, these devices often require numerous manufacturing steps which again add to the cost. An example may be found in co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 333,123 which was filed in the name of Vincent J. Nauheimer and which is owned by the assignee of this application. Although this construction is a marked improvement over the prior art, it does include tabs which are (1) folded or folded and twisted, and (2) glued or inserted through apertures or slots to support this blade at the desired angle. Any design which reduces the number of stamping, cutting, scoring or folding operations simplifies the manufacturing process and improves the profitability of these razors.
Thus, a need exists for a foldable-type disposable razor which provides the necessary blade adherence and stability of the blade head angle to ensure a safe shave while reducing or avoiding costly production steps.